A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the defamation lawsuit filed by a former employee of the state treasurer's office against the treasurer and his chief of staff.
KATV reports US District Judge Brian Miller declared the mistrial Friday in the lawsuit by David Singer against Treasurer Dennis Milligan and chief of staff Jim Harris.
The ruling comes a day after Harris was taken from the courtroom by paramedics after complaining of chest pains.
Attorneys for Singer asked for the mistrial, saying jurors witnessed Harris being taken from the room and would have sympathy toward him.
Singer's lawsuit alleges an email by Harris and released to the media after Singer's firing was defamatory because it described him as mentally unstable.